James is 18 Months

James is 18 months old! Hooray! He's just under 32 inches tall which is about where Henry was at 2 so he's on track to pass up his big brother.

He says hi to everyone he meets and sees while we are out and about. Most people happily say hi back and some even gush over how cute and little he is. Sometimes people don't hear him so he says it louder or walks over to them if he can. 

He's not shy but all signs point to him hating nursery for the foreseeable future. He's been the past 3 weeks and last week was the worst of them all. I never tried to leave him until last Sunday but before I even left he was extra clingy, like he knew it was coming. And he threw a monster fit an was inconsolable so I had to go back in because I felt bad for Sis. Wyatt and James. Unfortunately Justin and I are now both occupied third hour so I don't know what we're going to do. Just let him boo-hoo over toy time?

I remember Erica not saying much until she was nearly two years old and then it was language explosion. James is more steady, adding a word every few days. Recently added words are bath, uwo (hello--when he pretends to talk on a phone), bu (bus), mo (more), apo (apple), Dada, Wawa (Sarah), Ucka (Erica) and he just said Henry today but it just sounds like a whiny sound. I love that he can yell for other family members instead of just "Mem!" all day long. He also put his finger to his nose and shushed me when I told him to take another bite of his cereal.  He understands pretty much any direction I give him, especially if it's to throw something away.

His favorite game is peek-a-boo. He also like to sing "Here's a ball for baby" because it has actions. He's pretty picky about what songs I sing to him at night and he'll say no until I sing one that he likes. It switches every night.

 He loves to feed himself---often with disastrous results.

I'd like to get to the phase where we don't have to hose him off at the sink after every meal. When I'd say "let's wash your hands" his hands immediately went to his hair for some reason so I don't say that anymore.

Sour cream is good for dipping your quesadilla or just smearing all over oneself.

He's super attached to his blanket and will only put it down for good food or to go outside. He'll throw it out of his crib if he doesn't want to go to sleep and then pitch a fit that he can't reach it. "Is that a 'I threw my blanket out of the crib cry?'" we ask each other after we put him down.

He is getting pretty fast at running which isn't good because he usually only runs away from me. He's starting the 'passive-aggressive pouty stand in one spot' because he doesn't want to leave the library and go to the car thing. Drives me crazy. Maybe he's really 2. He's as tall as a 2-year-old, acts like a 2-year-old, talks like a 2-year-old.

He has to watch the bus leave every morning. He panics if he's in his highchair when he hears it. "Bu? Bu?"

 I think he'd make a good porcelain doll.

He loves to look at the new flowers in the window box and any flower really. "Owa!" He has an underbite but I'll teach him to correct it just like I taught Erica and just like my mom taught me. (Is it genetic?)

He walked around with a spoon down his shirt for the better part of yesterday. I pulled it out once but he put it right back in.

I think he sees these onesie shirts as a giant pocket. When I changed his diaper I found a penny, a rock and an animal cracker in there too.

That scowl. I know that scowl too well.

Baby brothers are so crazy.

Best buds. I couldn't do James without Erica. I just couldn't.

Some days I can't believe I've survived this long with him. He's such a demanding child. Loud, vocal, whiny, and temperamental. But he's also cuddly, sweet, affectionate, funny, and smart. Being his mom is not for the faint of heart.

Because he makes my heart melt. 

Little stinker.